Deck system

ABSTRACT

A deck board and a deck system include a deck board having at least one groove only appearing on either the top or the bottom of the deck board.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit, and priority benefit, of U.S.Patent Application Ser. No. 60/817,004, filed Jun. 28, 2006, entitled“Deck System”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Certain embodiments of the invention relate to deck systems, inparticular those which are formed of a plastic material, such as a vinylplastic material, polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”), or polyethylene plastic.

2. Description of the Related Art

Deck systems have been proposed in the past.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the embodiments hereinafter described, it is believedthat advantages are achieved from the deck system of the presentinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a deck board in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 are perspective views of a portion of a length of deck board, thedeck board being reversed, or flipped over, in one of the views, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a completed deck in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a length of a J-channelmember in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a length of an I-channelmember in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a length of an undersilltrim member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a length of a C-channelmember in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of a length of an L-channelmember in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a length of a fascia memberin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a substructure for a deck and apartially completed deck in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 a is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 10 showing aperspective view of portions of a substructure, a J-channel member, anda deck board in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 b is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 10 showing aperspective view of portions of a substructure and a deck board inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a partially completed deck inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 a is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 11 showing aperspective view of portions of two deck boards in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 a is a perspective view of portions of a substructure and a deckboard in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 b is a perspective view of portions of a substructure and a deckboard in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 c is a perspective view of portions of a substructure and a deckboard in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

While certain embodiments of the invention will be described inconnection with certain preferred embodiments shown herein, it will beunderstood that it is not intended to limit the invention to thoseembodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives,modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit andscope of the invention as to be defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a sectional view of a deck board in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Deck board 100 isgenerally an elongated member 101 having a generally rectangular-shapedcross-sectional configuration and includes a first side, top, or topsurface, 105 and a second side, bottom, or bottom surface, 110. Firstside 105 includes a deck groove, or groove, 115, extending into the topsurface 105 and extending along and substantially parallel with, itslongitudinal axis 116 (FIGS. 2 and 11). When viewed from above, thefirst side 105 would appear to be formed of two individual boards,separated by groove 115. If second side 110 were to be viewed, it wouldappear to be formed of one complete board. For example, the width of adeck board 100 may be approximately twelve inches wide, whereby thefirst side 105 would appear to be two approximately six-inch wide boardslaying next to each other with a gap disposed between them resultingfrom groove 115. Similarly the second side 110 would appear as anapproximately twelve inch wide deck board 100. Deck board 100 could haveother widths, as well as additional grooves 115 could be disposed infirst side 105.

Strengthening webs, or reinforcing members, 120 may extend between firstside 105 and second side 110 and may be disposed substantially parallelto the longitudinal axis 116 of deck board 100. Longitudinal ends, orside edges, 125 of deck board 100 extend the length of deck board 100.One end, side edge, or first side edge, 125 may include an end groove ormounting groove, 130. A deck screw 135 may be installed at an angle intoend groove 130 to secure deck board 100 to a substructure 170 (FIG. 11).Another end, side edge, or second side edge, 125 may include a tongue,or outwardly extending engagement member, 140, which is adapted tomatingly engage groove 130, such as in one embodiment by beingfrictionally received within a groove 130 of another adjoining deckboard 100. Tongue 140 may be disposed substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of 116 of deck board 100. Other shapes of webs 120 maybe used, as well as a greater or fewer number of webs than illustratedmay also be used.

In FIG. 2, deck board 100 is shown in the right hand view with secondside 110 facing upward displaying what appears to be a single deck board100, as previously described. Other features of deck board 100, such asend groove 130 and tongue 140, are visible as previously described withrelation to FIG. 1. By flipping, turning, or rotating deck board 100over in the direction of the arrow of the right hand view of FIG. 2, orby flipping, turning, or rotating deck board 100 over about itslongitudinal axis 116, deck board 100 is shown with first side 105facing upward in a second orientation as shown in the left hand view ofFIG. 2. Deck groove 115, end groove 130 and tongue 140 are again visibleas described with relation to FIG. 1. Thus deck board 100 is reversibleand when disposed upon a support structure as shown in FIG. 11, secondside 110 is visible if the first orientation is selected and first side105 is visible if the second orientation is selected.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a completed, assembled deck 200assembled from deck boards 100, previously described, and other deckcomponents as will be hereinafter described. Deck 200 is disposed upon asupport structure 170 and deck boards 100 form an upper surface, orfloor, 201 of the deck 200. As shown in FIG. 3, deck 200 may includepost supports 205 and railings 206 disposed between the post supports.The support structure 170 may include stair risers 210 and stair treads,or stairs, 211, for easy access to deck 200.

With reference to FIGS. 4-9, various components used in the constructionand assembly of a deck 200 are shown. In FIG. 4 a portion of a length ofJ-channel, or J-channel member, 145 is shown. J-channel 145 is sized tomate with, or receive, a deck board 100, as will be hereinafterdescribed. In FIG. 5 a portion of a length of I-channel, or I-channelmember, 150 is shown. I-channel 150 is sized to mate with, or receive,the ends 141 (FIG. 10) of two deck boards 100, which are in anend-to-end abutting relationship. In FIG. 6 a portion of a length ofundersill trim, or undersill trim member 155 is shown. Undersill trim155 may be used in a deck 200, including fascia members 167 ashereinafter described. In FIG. 7 a portion of a length of C-channel, orC-channel member, 160 is shown. C-channel 160 may be used in a deck 200including deck boards 100 as hereinafter described. In FIG. 8 a portionof a length of L-channel, or L-channel member, 165 is shown. L-channel165 may be used in a deck 200 including deck boards 100 as hereinafterdescribed. In FIG. 9 a portion of a length of fascia, or fascia member167, is shown. Facia 167 may be used in a deck 200 including deck boards100 as hereinafter described. All of the foregoing described components,including deck boards 100 may be manufactured, or made, from anysuitable plastic material having the requisite strength and durabilitycharacteristics to function as parts of a deck 200, such as athermoplastic material, PVC, or polyethylene plastic. The deck boards100 and other components may be formed by an extrusion process.

With reference to FIG. 10, substructure 170 provides a support structurefor attaching the deck boards to, and may include a plurality of joists,or joist members, 171 disposed on centers, or spaced from each other, nomore than approximately 24 inches apart. The joist members 171 may bedisposed within outer frame members, or header boards, 172, which are inturn secured to posts, or post supports, 173. Substructure 170 and itscomponents may be made from wood, or plastic materials. As will behereinafter described, a single deck board 100 may be laid upon thejoist members 171 and secured thereto, with the deck board extendingbetween two opposing header boards 172. If the deck 200 to beconstructed is longer than the length of a single deck board 100, twodeck boards 100 may be laid end-to-end upon the joists 171, and theabutting ends 141 of adjacent deck boards 100 may be connected by alength of I-channel member 150 (FIG. 5).

FIG. 10 a illustrates an enlarged portion of a corner of FIG. 10 showingportions of substructure 170, a J-channel 145, and a deck board 100.J-channel 145 is first attached to substructure 170, or header board172, with deck screws 135. Deck screws 135 preferably are made ofstainless steel to prevent staining of deck 200. Deck board 100 may becut as shown to fit around or avoid features of substructure 170, suchas post support 173′. As the corner post support 173′ is intended to beused to support railing 206 (FIG. 3), post supports 173′ are longer inlength than post supports 173. The side edge 125 (FIG. 1) of a deckboard 100 is then inserted into the J-channel 145, and the deck board100 is secured to the joist members 171, or header boards 172, ofsubstructure 170 with deck screws 135 as shown in FIG. 10 b. Deck screws135 may be installed at an angle inside end groove 130 of side edge 125.If the side edge 125 having tongue 140 is to be inserted into J-channel145, the tongue if desired may first be removed from the side edge 125of deck board 100, as by sawing tongue 140 off. Alternatively, ifdesired, J-channel 145 may not be used and the first deck board islocated in the desired portion upon substructure 170 and secured theretoby screws 135. Other fasteners such as nails, bolts, etc. could be usedin lieu of screws 135.

With reference to FIG. 11, a partially completed deck 200 is shown. Aplurality of deck boards 100 are matingly positioned and secured to thesubstructure 170. As shown in FIG. 11 a two deck boards 100 have theirends 141 lined up with each other and end groove 130 of one side edge125 of one board 100 matingly engages, or receives, tongue 140 ofanother side edge 125 of an adjacent, abutting board 100. Boards 100 arecontinued to be placed upon, and secured to, substructure 170, untildeck 200 is completed.

With reference to FIG. 12 a, the last deck board 100′ is positioned uponheader board 172 of substructure 170, so that end groove 130 generallyaligns with the edge of header board 172 of substructure 170. Deckscrews 135 may be used to secure deck board 100′ to substructure 170 byinstalling deck screws 135 in end groove 130. As shown in FIG. 12 b inanother embodiment, deck board 100″ has been cut, or sawn, along itslength to remove groove 130 or tongue 140 such that neither end groove130 nor tongue 140 appears on side edge 125 when overlying the headerboard 172 of substructure 170. Deck board 100″ is positioned so thatside edge 125 generally aligns with an edge of the header board 172 ofsubstructure 170. Deck screws 135 may be used to secure deck board 100″to substructure 170. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 12 c, deckboard 100″ has again been cut along its length such that neither endgroove 130 nor tongue 140 appears on side edge 125. Deck board 100″ ispositioned so that longitudinal end 125 overhangs an edge of headerboard 172 of substructure 170. A hole 174 may be made in deck board100″, so that deck screws 135 may be used to secure deck board 100″ tosubstructure 170. A hole plug 175 may be positioned in hole 174 afterdeck board 100″ has been secured, to conceal the hole 174.

Deck boards 100, 100′, 100″ may have additional J-channels 145surrounding the deck boards 100, 100′, 100″ to present a finishedappearance to the ends 141 and side edges 125 of the deck boards asshown in FIG. 3. Where there is no overhang, as shown in FIGS. 12 a and12 b, C-channel members 160 (FIG. 7) or L-channel members 165 (FIG. 8)may be used in place of J-channel members 145. If deck board 100″ ispositioned overhanging substructure 170 as shown in FIG. 12 c,J-channels 145 may be miter cut to the correct length and may be trimmedlengthwise so that they may mate fully with the deck board 100″ wherethe amount of overhand of deck board 100″ over substructure 170 issmall. Fascia members 167 (FIG. 9) may surround the deck 200, as bysecuring them to the header boards 172 to cover them as shown in FIG. 3.If desired, undersill trim members 155, may be attached to substructure170, as with electro-galvanized roofing nails and may be used to securefascia members 167 to the header boards 172. Fascia members 167 may becut to fit substructure 170 and may be punched with a snaplock punch(not shown) to create snaplock tabs which may engage undersill trimmembers 155 (FIG. 6). Fascia members 167 cooperate with undersill trimmembers 155 to hold fascia members 167 securely in place by snaplocksengaging undersill trim members 155.

Deck boards 100 may be used for the steps 211 (FIG. 3) and may besecured to the stair risers 210, by use of J-channels 160. Twooppositely dispose J-channels 145 may be secured in a substantiallyparallel relationship to the stair risers, and a deck board, sized inaccordance with the size of the desired stair, may then be slid into thetwo parallel J-channels 145. The ends of the deck boards used for thestairs 211, may be finished off with J-channel 145 and C-channel 160, orL-channel 165, if desired.

It should be noted that before the first deck board 100 is secured tothe substructure 170, the deck installer/assembler must decide whetheror not the first side, or top, 105 (FIG. 1) of deck board is to bevisible when viewing deck 200, or if the second side, or bottom, 110 ofdeck boards 100 are to be visible. This selection may be based upon thevisual appearance for the deck 200 the installer/assembler or the ownerof the deck wants to achieve. Alternatively, a third appearance of thetop surface, or floor, 201 of deck 200 may be achieved by varying theorientations of the deck boards 100, whereby some deck boards 100 wouldbe mounted with top 105 displayed and others would have the bottoms 100displayed to people viewing the floor 201 of deck 200.

The present invention has been described and illustrated with respect tospecific embodiments. It will be understood to those skilled in the artthat changes and modifications may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention(s) as set forth inthe appended claims.

1. A deck board, comprising: an elongated member having a top surfaceand a bottom surface, a length, and a longitudinal axis; and only one ofthe top or bottom surfaces having at least one groove extending alongthe longitudinal axis of the elongated member.
 2. The deck board ofclaim 1, wherein the elongated member has a generally rectangular shapedcross-sectional configuration.
 3. The deck board of claim 1, wherein theat least one groove extends into the top or bottom surface.
 4. The deckboard of claim 1, wherein the deck board includes a plurality ofreinforcing members extending between the top surface and the bottomsurface of the elongated member.
 5. The deck board of claim 4, whereinthe reinforcing members extend in a direction along the longitudinalaxis of the elongated member.
 6. The deck board of claim 1, wherein thedeck board has first and second side edges, and the first side edgeincludes a mounting groove and the second side edge includes anengagement member, adapted to mate with a mounting groove of anotherdeck board.
 7. The deck board of claim 1, wherein the mounting grooveand the engagement member extend the length of the elongated member,substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member.8. The deck board of claim 1, wherein the deck board is made of aplastic material.
 9. A deck system, comprising: a substructure uponwhich a deck formed of a plurality of deck boards, may be secured; and aplurality of deck boards secured to the substructure, with at least oneof the deck boards including, an elongated member having a top surfaceand a bottom surface, a length, and a longitudinal axis; and only one ofthe top or bottom surfaces having at least one groove extending alongthe longitudinal axis of the elongated member.
 10. The deck system ofclaim 9, wherein the elongated member has a generally rectangular shapedcross-sectional configuration.
 11. The deck board of claim 9, whereinthe at least one groove extends into the top or bottom surface.
 12. Thedeck board of claim 9, wherein the deck board includes a plurality ofreinforcing members extending between the top surface and the bottomsurface of the elongated member.
 13. The deck board of claim 12, whereinthe reinforcing members extend in a direction along the longitudinalaxis of the elongated member.
 14. The deck board of claim 9, wherein thedeck board has first and second side edges, and the first side edgeincludes a mounting groove and the second side edge includes anengagement member, adapted to mate with a mounting groove of anotherdeck board.
 15. The deck board of claim 9, wherein the mounting grooveand the engagement member extend the length of the elongated member,substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member.16. The deck board of claim 9, wherein the deck board is made of aplastic material.
 17. A method of assembling a deck, comprising:utilizing at least one deck board member which is an elongated memberhaving a top surface and a bottom surface, a length, and a longitudinalaxis; only one of the top or bottom surfaces having at least one grooveextending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated member; andsecuring the at least one deck board to a substructure in either a firstorientation wherein the at least one groove is visible and facesupwardly, or in a second orientation wherein the at least one groove isnot visible and faces downwardly.
 18. The method of claim 17, includingutilizing at least one J-channel member in association with the at leastone deck board.
 19. The method of claim 17, including utilizing at leastone undersill trim member in association with the at least one deckboard.
 20. The method of claim 17, including utilizing at least oneC-channel member in association with the at least one deck board.